Digestive Intensive
Online
self paced
3 months
60 min/wk
$799
Why Digestive Health Matters Now
Gut issues are common, disruptive, and often unaddressed. Clients need guidance that looks deeper.
60-70
million people in the U.S. are affected by digestive diseases.
20%
of the U.S. population has reflux symptoms at least once a week.
48.3
million U.S. ambulatory care visits a year are for digestive diseases.
40%
of Americans skipped routine activities due to bowel symptoms.
1 in 3
adults would only discuss bowel symptoms if their doctor asked first.
1 in 4
adults would try over-the-counter remedies before seeing a provider.
Who’s this Course For?
- Coaches Ready to Go Deeper
Add a systems-based lens on digestion to the clients you serve now. - Wellness Pros Who Upskill
Trainers and practitioners who want root-cause nutrition skills. - Professionals Exploring Functional Nutrition
Explore functional nutrition before committing to full FNP training.
What You’ll Get
- A Terrain-First Framework
Five modules on digestive physiology, from the mouth to the liver. - Tools Plus a Skills Lab
Intake form, Functional Nutrition Blueprint, journals, and Skills Lab. - HCI Student Community
Connect with classmates and instructors throughout your enrollment.
What You’ll Learn
Build your understanding of digestive physiology and learn to connect food, lifestyle, and environment to whole-body health, one system at a time.
- Explain how digestion works, from enzymes to absorption.
- Connect gut barrier health to whole-body symptoms.
- Use functional tools to spot patterns in client intakes.
-
Module 1
Foundations of Digestive PhysiologyModule 2
Digestive Function and PhysiologyModule 3
Upper Gastrointestinal PhysiologyModule 4
The Small Intestine, Absorption, and Barrier IntegrityModule 5
Liver and Gallbladder FunctionHerbal Lesson and Practical Application (FMP Lesson, Application Exercise, Skills Lab Replay)
Understand Digestion
From the Root Up
Online
self paced
3 months
60 min/wk
$799
- Understand digestion from mouth to liver and bring a root-cause lens to gut concerns.
- Finish with the tools to spot gut patterns in your very next client intake.
- Learn alongside classmates and instructors in the HCI Student Community.
Meet Your Instructors
Our instructors bring years of real-world and teaching experience. They’re experts in making complex physiology clear, applicable, and immediately useful in practice.
Nutrition Faculty
Sandra Brougher
Nutrition Faculty and Student Programs Manager
Amber Robertson
Adjunct Nutrition Faculty
Sarah Lawrence
Adjunct Nutrition Faculty
Brianna McKinney
Adjunct Nutrition Faculty
Janel Ferrin Anderson
Adjunct Nutrition Faculty
Jessica Vargas
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Who is the Digestive Intensive designed for?
Coaches, wellness professionals, and anyone curious about functional nutrition who wants a deeper, systems-based understanding of digestive health. It’s a focused way to explore functional nutrition before committing to a full certification.
-
Can I use what I learn with clients?
Digestive Intensive provides education and practical tools to deepen your understanding of digestive health. You may apply the material within your professional scope of practice and any applicable licensing requirements. The course does not qualify you to diagnose or treat medical conditions.
-
How long do I have, and how much time will it take?
You have 3 months from your start date to complete the course. Plan for about 45-60 minutes of course content per week. It’s 100% online and self-paced, so you can fit it around your schedule. Need more time? Extension requests are reviewed case by case through support@healthcoachinstitute.com.
-
What’s included in the course?
Functional Nutrition Foundations, five Digestive Intensive modules (each with a recap video and quiz), an Herbal Lesson, a practical application exercise, a Skills Lab replay, and downloadable client tools like the Intake Form, Functional Nutrition Blueprint, and Food/Mood/Poop Journal. You’ll also get access to the HCI Student Community.
-
Do I get a certificate when I finish?
Yes. Review all course content, then pass the open-book End-of-Intensive Assessment with a score of 80% or higher (you get 3 attempts) to earn your Digestive Intensive certificate of completion and badge.
-
Is this the same as the Functional Nutrition Professional certification?
No. The Digestive Intensive is a standalone course built from our Functional Nutrition Professional curriculum and focused on digestive health. It’s a great next step if you want to go deeper with functional nutrition before enrolling in the full FNP program.
-
Can I pay monthly?
Yes. Pay $799 in full or 8 monthly payments of $99.88.
Start Thinking Systems-Wide
Build a deeper understanding of digestion in 3 months, at your own pace, with tools you can use now.
